Kadeem Jack and Arvin Tolentino delivered clutch performances as NorthPort Batang Pier escaped with a hard-fought 113-110 victory over the Magnolia Timplados Hotshots on Thursday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Jack led the charge with 30 points, while Tolentino contributed 25 points, including a crucial basket in the final minute, securing NorthPort’s place in the 49th PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
As the No. 1 seed in the eliminations, NorthPort needed just one win to advance, thanks to its twice-to-beat advantage. Jack stepped up in crunch time, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter, helping Batang Pier withstand Magnolia’s relentless challenge.
NorthPort now awaits the winner of the ongoing quarterfinals series between the Meralco Bolts and Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. Ginebra currently leads the best-of-three series after a 100-92 win on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Assistant coach Rensy Bajar credited the team’s bench players for stepping up when it mattered most.
“Coach Bonnie has been pushing our second unit hard. Heading into the playoffs, we knew we needed everyone involved, especially against tough matchups like Arvin, Josh, and Kadeem,” said Bajar.
NorthPort sealed the win with clutch free throws in the dying moments—Fran Yu sank one with 15 seconds left to give them a 112-109 cushion, while Allyn Bulanadi split his charities with two seconds remaining to put the game out of reach.
Andy Barroca paced Magnolia with a game-high 26 points, but his efforts fell just short as NorthPort marched on to the semifinals.
